Water mixer with lever handle

ABSTRACT

A water mixer with mixer cartridge ( 40 ) with control element ( 42 ) and lever handle ( 31 ) operable from left to right to control the ratio water flow from respective hot and cold intakes to a single outlet ( 18 ), and about a transverse axis to control rate of flow. A mixer body ( 20 ) defines a post ( 22 ) and a protruding outlet arm ( 24 ) at its end. The body defines, at the aforesaid end of the post and extending into the arm, a rim ( 25 ) about a recess ( 26 ) that receives part of the lever handle in a central off position thereof. In another aspect, lever handle ( 31 ) is pivotally mounted to support ( 50, 150 ) at a first pivot ( 52,54 ) that is fixed against translation and to the control element of the cartridge at a second pivot ( 48 ) that is slidable in a slot ( 39 ).

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/032,374 filed Apr. 27, 2016, which is a continuation fromPCT/AU2014/050313, filed Oct. 28, 2014, which claims priority from AU2013904154, filed Oct. 28, 2013, all of which are incorporated herein byreference

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to water mixers, in particular those ofa kind in which there is a lever handle mounted for rotation to left andright from a central position to control water temperature, andvertically to control rate of flow. In one common application ofparticular interest such mixers are referred to as basin mixers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Basin mixers of the aforementioned kind typically have a mixer cartridgewithin a central post with a control element operated by the leverhandle. The arm or spout of the mixer protrudes from the top of the postand the usual arrangement has the lever handle sitting proud of the topof the post and anti to allow the front of the lever handle to clear theedge of the post in the fully on position, in which the lever handle ismost commonly inclined at 22° to horizontal. Thus, the usual mixerdesign has a lever handle assembly sitting on top of the mixer body.This necessary structural configuration has proven a limitation on therange of designs that can be offered by manufacturers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide alternative optionsin the layout of water mixers that facilitate designs not hithertofeasible.

Reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgmentor suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common generalknowledge in any jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably beexpected to be understood, regarded as relevant, and/or combined withother pieces of prior art by a skilled person in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the limitation discussed above in oneaspect by reconfiguring the arrangement between the mixer body and thelever handle and, in another aspect, by re-arranging the operativerelationship between the lever handle and the control element of themixer cartridge.

In a first aspect, the invention provides a water mixer comprising amixer cartridge having a control element operable to control water flowfrom respective hot and cold water intakes to a single water outlet soas to vary the proportions of hot and cold water at the outlet, and alever handle operably coupled to the control element of the mixercartridge, which lever handle is mounted for rotation to left and rightfrom a central position to control water temperature and about atransverse axis to control rate of flow, wherein the water mixer furtherincludes a mixer body that defines a post and, at an end of the post, aprotruding arm that includes said water outlet, and the body furtherdefines, at said end of the post and extending into the arm, a rim abouta recess that receives part of the lever handle in a central offposition thereof.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a water mixer including amixer cartridge having a control element operable to control water flowfrom respective hot and cold water intakes to a single water outlet soas to vary the proportions of hot and cold water at the outlet, and alever handle operably coupled to the control element of the mixercartridge, which lever handle is mounted for rotation to left and rightfrom a central position to control water temperature and about atransverse axis to control rate of flow, wherein the lever handle ispivotally mounted to a support for the lever handle at a first pivotthat is fixed against translation and to the control element of themixer cartridge at a second pivot that is slidable in a slot withrespect to the lever handle and/or the control element.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention includes thefeatures of both aspects.

The lever handle preferably includes a boss structure and a blade thatlies atop and projects from the boss structure, and at least partiallycurves upwardly with respect to the mixer body to form a fingergraspable part of the handle.

In a preferred arrangement of the second aspect of the invention, theslidable pivot is slidable in a slot in the lever handle. In thisarrangement it may be provided by laterally protruding pins on thecontrol element, for example on a cap of the control element.

In a preferred arrangement, the fixed first pivot defines an axis ofhandle rotation that is parallel to an axis of rotation of the controlelement on the mixer cartridge, and both axes intersect a central axisof the post of the mixer body.

The aforesaid rim of the mixer body may include parallel sides and acurved portion on the side of the post opposite the protruding arm, thedimensions of the rim and lever handle being such that the recessdefined by the rim snugly bounds the blade of the lever handle at theboss member.

In a preferred arrangement, the support for the lever including the bossmember is provided by an annular support member that accommodates saidrotation to left and right and vertically. Preferably, there is provideda cam mechanism by which the lever handle is progressively raised as itis rotated to left or right whereby the handle blade clears theaforesaid rim of the mixer body. This cam mechanism may comprise, forexample, a cam lobe projecting from the handle co-operable with a risingcam surface as the lever handle is rotated.

As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term“comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising”, “comprises”and “comprised”, are not intended to exclude further additives,components, integers or steps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only,with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a basin mixer according to one embodimentof the invention, with the lever handle in the central off position;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are respective plan and side elevations of the basin mixerdepicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical axial cross-section of the basin mixer, with thelever handle in its central off position;

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 but with the lever handle inits central on position;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the basin mixer assembly;

FIG. 7 is a sequence of fragmentary side views showing the manner inwhich the lever handle is operably coupled to the control element of themixer cartridge;

FIG. 8 is a set of views illustrating the operation of the mix controlmechanism;

FIG. 9 depicts the cam mechanism by which the lever handle is lifted asit is rotated left or right; and

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of a modified embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The illustrated basin mixer 10, as seen its normal in situ orientation(FIGS. 1-3), includes a mixer body 20 configured to define a hollowupright post 22 and, at the top of the post, a laterally protruding arm24. The upper edge of the mixer body 20 is defined by a rim 25comprising parallel sides and semi-circular ends about a transverselyconcave shallow recess or channel 26. The inner end of recess 26 opensinto the hollow interior of post 22. The end of rim 25 opposite arm 24snugly receives one end of a lever handle 30 including a relatively thinblade 31.

From above, blade 31 exhibits parallel sides and semi-circular ends andsnugly fits within rim 25 but is shorter than the rim at the outer endof the arm. In fact, as seen in the side view of FIG. 2, when leverhandle 30 is in its central lowermost position blade 31 has a horizontalportion 31 a atop post 22 and substantially flush with rim 25 and anupwardly turned grip portion 31 b that is inclined at an angle between20 and 25°, for example 22°, to the horizontal so as to leave acomfortable space between its underside and recess 26 in which to placea finger to manipulate the handle.

In operation, lever handle 30 is rotated vertically (i.e. about atransverse horizontal axis) to control the rate of flow of water from awater outlet 15 onto the outer part of recess 26, and left or right froma central position (FIG. 1) to control water temperature by varying thehot/cold water mix. During this motion, the curved end of the lever armat portion 31 a drops into post 22 below rim 25—in sharp contrast toconventional arrangements in which the lever handle sits proud of themixer body and when rotated upwardly protrudes over the edge of the post22. The mechanism by which this advance is achieved will now bedescribed in greater detail, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 9.

In the conventional manner, the internal water control element of themixer is a mixer cartridge 40 mounted within post 22 with an upwardlyprojecting control element 42 pivoted to the cartridge body at ahorizontal axis 43 (FIG. 5). The mixer cartridge is retained in place bya lock nut 49. The rate of flow is adjustable by pivoting controlelement 42 from a vertically aligned off position to a forwardlyinclined fully on position. The proportions of hot and cold water arevaried by rotating the control element about the vertical axis of thecartridge and post to vary the proportions of hot and cold waterdelivered from intake ports in respective pipes to water outlet nozzle15. Outlet nozzle 15 opens onto the recess 26 so that the water flowsalong the recess and over its front lip 29. In this manner the recessand its front lip form a single water outlet or spout 18.

Lever handle 30 is pivotally mounted within an annular support in theform of a rotatable bowl-shaped gimbal 50 that accommodates rotation ofthe handle to left and right and vertically, by means of laterallyprotruding pins 52 (FIG. 6) on a boss structure 38 of the handleengaging complementary holes 54 on opposite sides of the gimbal. Theengagement of pins 52 and holes 54 defines a pair of coaxial firstpivots that are fixed against translation. Gimbal 50 rotationally restson a swivel bearing surface 55. Surface 55 forms part of a fixedpartition member 60 that also provides a lever camming function, as willbe described later. It is the rotation of the gimbal about the verticalaxis of the post that permits the earlier described left and rightrotation of the lever handle: depending snaps 51 on the gimbal interactwith corresponding stops to define the limits of rotation.

Cartridge control element 42 has an end cap 45 with integral oppositelylaterally protruding pins 47 that engage the opposed slots 39 (FIG. 7)within boss structure 38 of the lever handle. FIG. 7 illustrates how theresultant pair of sliding pivots 48, a “second” pivot with respect tofirst pivot 52,54, that is slidable with respect to lever handle 30,allows upward rotation of the lever handle 30 about its translationallyfixed pivots 52, to effect rotation of the mixer cartridge controlelement 42. It will be seen that this arrangement permits the handlepivot to be fixed and thereby allows the handle to be mounted at orbelow the rim of the mixer body rather than sitting above the body androtating over its front edge, as in a conventional construction. It willof course be understood that pivots 48 can be slidable with respect tothe lever handle and/or the control element.

It will be seen that the first, fixed, pivots 52,54 define an axis ofhandle rotation that is parallel to an axis of rotation of the controlelement on the mixer cartridge, and both axes intersect a centralvertical axis of the post of the mixer body.

It has already been mentioned that rotation of the lever handle 30 leftand right with its mounting gimbal 50 controls the proportional mix ofhot and cold water in the usual manner. Partition member 60 has anupstanding land 62 facing arm 24 with a shaped cut-out 64 (FIG. 9). Thisshaped cut-out in turn defines a pair of cam surfaces 65 a, 65 b thatare engaged by a cam lobe 68 on the underside of the lever handle toguide the lever handle gently and progressively upwardly as it isrotated left or right, whereby the lever handle can clear the straightside segments of rim 25. This movement of course opens the water flow toa certain extent, which can be further increased by using the fingers tofurther lift the lever handle.

FIG. 8 depicts in side view and plan view one of the extreme positionsof the lever handle 30, in which the handle has rotated left 45° andbeen lifted the full 22° to obtain a full hot water mix. It will be seenthat the end 31 a of the lever handle 30 opposite the spout or arm 24has descended below rim 25 and furthermore below the rim of gimbal 50.

FIG. 10 depicts an alternative embodiment in which like parts areindicated by like reference numerals preceded by a “1”. Modificationsinclude replacement of the gimbal 50 by a simple ring 150 that hasintegral, opposed inwardly projecting pins 152 on which lever handle 130rotates about a horizontal axis. Ring 150 internally retains a sealingwasher 200 to prevent ingress into the mechanism of water carried by awet hand of a user grasping the lever handle.

Partition member 60 with its camming action is here provided by a topfixture 160 with a circular opening that receives handle lever bossstructure 138. Fixture 160 further has a forwardly projecting ledge 162with an upper face transversely shaped as a shaped cam surface 165 toengage a cam lobe (not visible) on the underside of the lever handle toguide the lever handle gently and progressively upwardly as it isrotated left or right, whereby the lever handle can clear the straightside segments of rim 125. The subassembly of lever handle 130, fixture160, ring 150 and sealing washer 200 is fastened down by screws 202 thatengaged threaded holes 204 on mixer body 120.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A water mixer comprising: a mixer cartridgehaving a control element operable to control water flow from respectivehot and cold water intakes to a single front water outlet so as to varythe proportions of hot and cold water at the outlet, and a lever handleoperably coupled to the control element of the mixer cartridge, whichlever handle is mounted for rotation to left and right from a centralposition to control water temperature and about a transverse axis tocontrol rate of flow, wherein the water mixer further includes a mixerbody that defines a post and at an end of the post a protruding arm thatincludes said water outlet, and the body further defines, at said end ofthe post and extending into the arm, a rim about a recess that receivespart of the lever handle in a central off position thereof.
 2. A watermixer according to claim 1, wherein the lever handle includes a bossstructure and a blade that lies atop and projects from the bossstructure, and at least partially curves upwardly with respect to themixer body to form a finger graspable part of the handle.
 3. A watermixer according to claim 2, wherein said rim of the mixer body includesparallel sides and a curved portion on the side of the post opposite theprotruding arm, the dimensions of the rim and lever handle being suchthat the recess defined by the rim snugly bounds the blade of the leverhandle at the boss structure.
 4. A water mixer according to claim 2,further including a cam mechanism by which the lever handle isprogressively raised as the lever handle is rotated to left or rightwhereby the handle blade clears said rim of the mixer body.
 5. A watermixer according to claim 4, wherein the cam mechanism includes one ormore cam surfaces that are engaged by a cam projecting from an undersideof the lever handle, the cam surfaces being dimensioned to cause thesaid progressive raising of the lever handle as the lever handle isrotated to left or right.
 6. A water mixer according to claim 1, whereinthe lever handle is pivotally mounted to a support for the lever handleat a first pivot that is fixed against translation and to the controlelement of the mixer cartridge at a second pivot that is slidable in aslot with respect to the lever handle and/or the control element suchthat the control element pivots to a forwardly inclined position uponupward rotation of the lever handle.
 7. A water mixer according to claim6, wherein the support for the lever handle including a boss structurethereof is provided by an annular support that accommodates saidrotation to left and right and vertically.
 8. A water mixer according toclaim 6, wherein the slidable second pivot is slidable with respect tothe lever handle, and is provided by laterally protruding pins on thecontrol element.
 9. A water mixer according to claim 8, wherein thelaterally protruding pins are on a cap of the control element.
 10. Awater mixer according to claim 6, wherein the fixed first pivot definesan axis of handle rotation that is parallel to an axis of rotation ofthe control element on the mixer cartridge, and both axes intersect acentral axis of the post of the mixer body.
 11. A water mixer accordingto claim 6: wherein the lever handle includes a boss structure and ablade that lies atop and projects from the boss structure, and at leastpartially curves upwardly with respect to the mixer body to form afinger graspable part of the handle, further including an annularsupport that supports the lever handle including the boss structure andaccommodates said rotation to left and right and vertically, and a cammechanism by which the lever handle is progressively raised as the leverhandle is rotated to left or right whereby the handle blade clears saidrim of the mixer body, which cam mechanism includes one or more camsurfaces that are engaged by a cam projecting from an underside of thelever handle, the cam surfaces being dimensioned to cause the saidprogressive raising of the lever handle as the lever handle is rotatedto left or right, and wherein the cam surface(s) are provided on astructure that rotationally supports the annular support member.